Simulated shooting toys



Nov. 14, 1961 G. E. JOHNSON SIMULATED SHOOTING TOYS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Sept. 4. 1959 (ill lt Nov. 14, 1961 G. E. JOHNSON 3,008,713

SIMULATED SHOOTING TOYS Filed Sept. 4, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //7 yen/2r:

Nov. 14, 1961 G. E. JOHNSON 3,008,713

SIMULATED SHOOTING TOYS Filed Sept. 4, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 I I I Y III L\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\! I9 49 F ID- United States Patent G3,008,713 SIMULATED SHOOTING TOYS George E. Johnson, 308 F NW.,Childress, Tex. Filed Sept. 4, 1959, Ser. No. 838,146 6 Claims. (Cl.273-1) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in toys,and in particular concerns itself with a simulated shooting toy whereintwo figures equipped with simulated guns are shooting at each other.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an amusing andhighly entertaining device of this type which may conveniently representtwo cowboys shooting it out in a Western environment, an importantfeature of the invention residing in the provision of a pair of supportmembers having the respective figures mounted thereon for movementbetween standing and fallen positions, together with a pair of toypistols attached to the respective support members, the pistol of eachsupport member being operatively connected to the figure on the othersupport member, so that by firing either pistol, the opposing figure iscaused to fall.

Each figure has a movable arm carrying a simulated gun, and anotherfeature of the invention resides in the provision of means operativelyconnecting each pistol to the movable arm of the associated figure sothat the arm is raised to a gun aiming position while the trigger of thepistol is being depressed.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision ofmeans responsive to the falling to each figure for preventing the pistolassociated therewith to cause falling of the opposing figure until thefallen figure is reset to its standing position.

Another very important feature of the invention resides in pivotallyconnecting together the aforementioned figure and pistol support membersso that they may be swung 'angularly relative to each other, theoperative connection of each pistol which causes falling of the opposingfigure being such that it is operative only when the support members arein longitudinal alignment and the figures are mutually opposed, thusmaking it possible to engage in lateral maneuvering of the figures toavoid being hit.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity ofconstruction, efficien-t and highly entertaining operation, and in itsadaptability to convenient and economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important objects and features in view and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention will be understood from the followingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, whereinlike characters of reference are used to designate like parts, andwherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational View of the simulated shooting toy inaccordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of one of thesupport members with the associated pistol, the figure on the supportmember being in standing position;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view, similar to that shown in FIGURE 3, butwith the figure in the fallen position;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the subject shown inFIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is an underside plan view of the subject shown FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the variable angularrelationship of the support members;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view on one of thesupport members with the figure in standing position thereon andemphasizing the figure arm actuating means;

ice

FIGURE 9 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially in the planeof the line 9-9 in FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view, similar to that shown in FIGURE 8 butshowing the figure fallen; and

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary sectional detail showing the arrangement ofthe locking means used in the invention.

For sake of simplicity of illustration, the operating mechanism ofFIGURES 8-11 has been omitted in FIG- URES 3-6, and that of FIGURES 3-6have been omitted in FIGURES 8-40.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, more particularlyto FIGURES 1 and 2, the simulated shooting toy is designated generallyby the reference numeral 15 and is in the form of two identical andcomplemental sections or units 16 and 16a, which are movably connectedtogether by a pivot element 17. Inasmuch as the two sections or unitsare identical, a description of one will suffice for both.

Each section or unit, for example, the uni-t 16, embodies in itsconstruction an elongated, horizontally disposed support member or base18 having a free outer end and connected at its inner end by the pivot17 to the support member 18a of the other section 16a, whereby the twosupport members may be either longitudinally aligned or moved angularlyrelative to each other, as indicated at 1812 in FIGURE 7.

The outer end of the member 18 is provided at the underside thereof witha rigid plug element 19 which is secured by a suitable fastener 20 inthe barrel 21 of a toy pistol 22 of a conventional double-acting type.The pistol 22 also includes a depressible trigger 23 and a hammer 24which moves from the position shown in FIGURE 3 to that shown in FIGURE4 when the trigger is fully depressed, it being understood that thepistol, as such, is conventional and requires no detailed descriptionherein.

The support member 18 is provided adjacent the pistol 22 with a recess25 and with a pair of apertured ears 26 extending upwardly at oppositesides of the recess. A transverse shaft 27 is mounted in the ears 26 andextends through the feet of a suitable figure 28. The latter has arelatively stationary arm 29 which, for sake of simplicity ofillustration, has been omitted in FIGURES 8 and 10, and a movable arm 30carrying a simulated gun 31. The arm 30 is secured to a transverse shaft32 rotatably journalled in and extending through the figure 28, whichshaft also has secured thereto a crank 33, the purpose of which will behereinafter described. The gun carrying arm 30 is normally held loweredby gravity as shown by the dotted lines 30b in FIGURE 8, but may 'beraised to the gun aiming position shown by the full lines in the samefigure.

'Ihe figure 28 as a whole is normally upstanding, but is suitablyweighted so that under gravity it tends to fall to the position shown inFIGURE 10, either by pivoting about the shaft 27 or moving with theshaft if the latter is rotatable in the ears 26.

The figure 28 is normally retained in its standing position by anupwardly angulated end portion 61' of a rod 32" which is slidable in abearing 33" provided at the underside of the member 18 between thepositions shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. The end portion 31' projectsupwardly through the recess 25 and engages the underside of one of thefeet of the figure 28 when the rod 32 is in the position shown in FIGURE3, but when the rod is slid in the direction of the arrow 34, the endportion 3-1 is disengaged from the foot of the figure and the latter isfree to fall by gravity, as indicated at 35. The figure is adapted to bereset by hand to its standing position, that is, in the direction of thearrow 36 in FIGURE 4, and a compression spring 37 is provided on the rod32 between the portion 31 and the bearing 33, whereby to urge the rod toits initial position wherein the portion 31 sustains the figure 28against falling.

The other end of the rod 3 2 is pivoted to a lever 38 which is pivotallymounted on a pin 39 in a slot 40 formed in the member 18 and projectsupwardly therefrom, being provided at its upper end with a pressure pad41, disposed adjacent and facing the direction of the pivot element 17.

The movement of the aforementioned pistol hammer 24 to the positionshown in FIGURE 4 causes the same to engage an enlarged end or head 42provided at the outer end of an actuating rod 43 which is slidable insuitable bearings 44, 4 5 on the support member 18. The rod 43 extendssomewhat obliquely along the support member and the inner end portionthereof projects beyond the pivot element 17 so that its inner extremity46 may operatively engage the pressure pad 41a of the lever 38a on theother support member 18a when the two support members 18 and 18a arelongitudinally aligned and the two figures 28 are mutually opposed inface to face relation. A compression spring 47 is provided on the rod 43between the head 42 and the bearing 44 so as to urge the rod outwardlyor rearwardly when the pistol hammer 24 is cocked back, as shown inFIGURE 3.

The trigger 23 of the pistol 22 has pivoted thereto one end of a rod 48,the other end of which is pivoted to one end of a lever 49, pivotedintermediate its ends on a pin 50 in the aforementioned plug 19. Theother end of the lever 49 operatively engages one arm of a bell crank 51which is freely mounted on the shaft 27 and has pivotally connected toits other arm a link 52 which, in turn, is pivoted to the aforementionedcrank 33 on the shaft 32 carrying the arm 30 of the figure 28.

The operation of the invention will be readily understood from theforegoing. With the apparatus assembled as shown in FIGURE 1, twoplayers assume their stations at the respective pistols 22, 22a, eachplayer moving his pistol and the associated support member (18 or 18a)out of longitudinal alignment with the pistol and support member of theopposing player, so as to avoid being hit. However, when this maneuverhappens to place the two support members in line, either player may actquickly so as to first depress the trigger of his pistol and cause the(previously cocked) hammer to fly forward and hit the head 42 of the rod43, thus causing the rod 43 to slide forwardly or inwardly intoengagement with the pressure pad 41 on the lever 38 of the opposingplayer which, through the medium of the rod 32 then causes the figure 28of the opposing player to fall. Simultaneously with the depression ofthe trigger, the linkage 4 8, 49, 51, 52 and 36 causes the arm 30 of theshooting players figure to be raised to its gun aiming position, thusattaining a very realistic effect.

It is to be noted that, as is best shown in FIGURE 10, the arm raisinglinkage is so arranged that when either of the figure 28 falls, the link52 and the crank 36 cause the arm 30 to be forwardly projected so as notto interfere with the support member 18, even though the bell crank 51has remained stationary in the absence of depression of the trigger ofthe associated pistol.

It is to be also noted that when the support members 18, 18a are out oflongitudinal alignment, the extremities 46, 46a of the respectiveactuating rods 43, 43a (see FIG. 7) are not aligned with the pressurepads 41a and 41, respectively, and accordingly, neither player may causethe figure of his opponent to fall unless the support members arelongitudinally aligned and the figures are face to face.

Means are also provided for preventing each player from causing the fallof the opponents figure after his own figure has fallen, such meanscomprising a fork 53 which is secured to one of the legs of the figureZ8 is such a position as to engage a collar 54 secured to theintermediate portion of the rod 43 when the figure has fallen, asillustrated in FIGUREll. The engagement of the parts 5 3, 54 takes placewhen the rod 43 is retracted by the spring 47 so as to prevent the rodfrom sliding forwardly or inwardly toward the presure pad on the lever38 of the opposing player, so that even if the player should fire hispistol after his figure has fallen, the rod 43, being prevented fromsliding, will not operate to cause the opposing figure to fall.

'If desired, the entire apparatus may be portable in nature, with eachplayer holding his own pistol and maneuvering the same so as to avoidbeing hit by his opponent, while the apparatus is held between theplayers in the air. On the other hand, the device may be mounted on asuitable supporting framework 55 as indicated in FIGURE 1, having acentral fulcrum block 56 to carry the pivot element 17, and also havingcurved rails 57 serving as supports or rests for the pistols. In suchevent, an enclosure (not shown) may also be provided for the apparatus,suitably ornamented to provide a Western scene for the device.

What is claimed as new is:

l. A simulated shooting toy, comprising in combination a support, a pairof figures mounted on said support in spaced and mutually opposingrelation, each of said figures being movable from a standing to a fallenposition and carrying a simulated gun adapted to be aimed at theopposing figure, a pair of toy pistols attached to said support adjacentthe respective figures, each of said pistols including an elementsubjected to movement when the pistol is fired, and means operativelyconecting the movable elemet of each pistol to the figure adjacent theother pistol, whereby firing of each pistol may permit the opposingfigure to fall, said support comprising a pair of elongated sectionspivotally connected together whereby said sections may be swungangularly relative to each other, each of said sections having one ofsaid figures and one of said pistols associated therewith, and saidmeans connecting each pistol to the figure adjacent the other pistolbeing operative only when said sections are in longitudinal alignment.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said pistolsincludes a depressible trigger and each figure includes a 'movable armcarrying said simulated gun, and means operatively connecting thetrigger of each pistol to the arm of the adjacent figure whereby saidarm may be raised to a gun aiming poistion when the trigger isdepressed.

3. A simulated shooting toy, comprising in combination a pair ofelongated support members having free outer ends and inner endspivotally connected together whereby said support members may be swungangularly relative to each other, a pair of figures mounted on the outerend portions of the respective members in mutually opposing relation,said figures being movable by gravity from a standing to a fallenposition and each figure carrying a simulated gun adapted to be aimed atthe opposing figure, a pair of toy pistols attached to the outer ends ofthe respective support members, each of said pistols including adepressible trigger and a hammer subjected to movement when the triggeris depressed, releasable sustaining means provided on each supportmember for normally retaining the figure thereon in its standingposition, and actuating means provided on each support member foroperative engagement by the hammer of the associated pistol, theactuating means of each support-member being-operatively engageable withthe sustaining means on the other support member for releasing the sameonly when said support members are longitudinally aligned, wherebyfiring of each pistol may permit the opposing figure to fall.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said figuresincludes an armcarrying said simulated gun and movable from a loweredposition to a raised gun aiming p0sition,'and means operativelyconnecting the trigger of each pistol to the arm of the associatedfigure whereby 'said may be raised when the triggeris desfd:

5. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said figuresincludes an arm carrying said simulated gun and movable from a loweredposition to a raised gun aiming position, said arm being normallylowered when the figure is in its standing position, and meansoperatively connecting the trigger of each pistol to the arm of theassociated figure whereby said arm may be raised when the trigger isdepressed while the figure is standing, said last mentioned means beingautomatically operative to raise the arm when the figure has fallen.

6. The device as defined in claim 3 together with means responsive tothe falling of each figure for rendering the actuating means on theassociated support member inoperative by the hammer of the associatedpistol,

whereby to prevent release of the sustaining means on the other supportmember by firing of either pistol after the 5 figure associatedtherewith has fallen.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 102,002,026 Fairgrieve May 21, 1935 2,088,510 Frasca July 2, 19372,535,402 Fleishman Dec. 26, 1950

